Hot water heaters



Jan. 24, 1961 J. A. LOGAN HOT WATER HEATERS Filed May 29, 1958 BEEUnited States Patent HOT WATER HEATERS John A. Logan, Canfleld, Ohio,assignor to Ajax Magnethermic Corporation, a corporation of Ohio FiledMay 29, 1958, Ser. No. 738,847

6 Claims. (Cl. 219-38) My invention relates to improvements in hot watergenerating systems and particularly to a device for providing animmediate source of hot water to a faucet which is located asubstantially remote distance from a hot water tank.

When the hot water tank is located a considerable distance from the hotwater faucet, the water must be allowed to run for a period of timebefore hot water is available. This results in great inconvenience tothe person using the hot water faucet as well as involving the waste ofa substantial amount of water.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide an immediatelyusable source of hot water at a hot water faucet which is located asubstantial distance from the main hot water tank.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a device which isadaptable to all conditions of plumbing regardless of the distance fromthe main tank to the hot water faucet.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a device which isinexpensive to install and operate and highly durable in use.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of theabove type which is compact and completely self-operating.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will becompletely understood from the following description and theaccompanying drawing in which said drawing:

The figure of the drawing is a semi-diagrammatic view of a hot watersystem incorporating the device of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, in all of which like parts are designatedby like reference characters, at 10 I show a main hot water tank ofrelatively large capacity having a heating element 11, herein shown as agas burner. Although the tank illustrated is of the wellknownunder-fired type, it will be understood that any suitable method ofheating hot water may be used. As herein shown and illustrated, theburner 11 is supplied with gas through a gas line 12. A thermostat 13 isinterposed in the line 12 and projects into the main tank 10 whereby theheat from said burner is controlled by increasing or decreasing thesupply of gas in a conventional manner.

Water is supplied to the main tank 10 by means of an intake pipe 9 andhot water from said tank is discharged through an outlet pipe indicatedat 14. At 16 I show a typical wash basin installation having a hot waterfaucet supplied by a water pipe 14. The pipes 14-14' constitute themeans by which hot water from the main tank 10 reaches the faucet 15.

A small supplemental hot water heater 17 is interposed between the pipe14 and the pipe 14' and a portion of the water from the main tank 10must pass through the said supplemental hot water heater beforereaching,

the hot water faucet 15. A by-pass pipe 25 is also pro- "ice vided bywhich a portion of the water from the tank 10 by-passes the smallsupplemental heater 17 and proceeds to the pipe 14' and from thence tothe faucet 15. The said by-pass pipe 25 is connected into the pipe 14 ata T fitting 25a interposed between the said main tank 10 and thesupplemental heater 17, and is also connected to the pipe 14 asindicated at the T fitting 25b interposed between the said supplementalheater 17 and the faucet 15.

Although the hot water generating system of my invention as herein shownprovides a supplemental heater 17 interposed in the pipes 14-14', itwill be understood that said heater can alternatively be installed inthe by-pass line 25 to obtain the same result which is that of having asupplemental heater connected in a parallel arrangement with the pipeleading from the main tank 10 to the faucet 15.

The small supplemental water heater 17 preferably comprises a smallsupplemental tank 18, an outer shell 19 spaced away from saidsupplemental tank, and heat insulation material indicated at 20interposed between the tank 18 and the outer shell 19. A conventional,preferably immersion type electric heating unit 21 is mounted on top ofthe supplemental tank 18, said heating unit having an immersion typeheating coil 22 projecting down into said tank. The heating unit 21 isalso provided with a thermostat 23 electrically operated through thewiring as shown at 24 by which the water in the tank is maintained at aconstant temperature, preferably substantially higher than the main tank10.

It will be understood from the above description that a certain amountof water from the main tank 10 is caused to pass through thesupplemental tank 18 by means of the pipe 14 and from there to an outletas by pipe 14' which lead respectively into and out of said tank andthat an additional amount of water from the tank 10 by-passes thesupplemental tank 18 on its way to the faucet 15 by means of the by-passpipe 25.

In operation, all of the pipes 14, 14, and 25, as well as the tank 18are filled with water. The amount of water to be contained in thesupplemental tank 18 can be varied by varying the size of said tank, butin a typical installation, a capacity of four to six quarts wouldprobably be sufiicient. The water in the supplemental tank 18 isconstantly maintained by the thermostat means at a relatively hightemperature compared to that ordi narily desired at a hot water faucet,such as about F.

If the hot water faucet 15 has not been used for a considerable periodof time, the water in the pipes 14 and 14 as well as the pipe 25 will becold. Under these conditions, actuation of the water faucet 15 causeswater to flow both from the supplemental tank 18 and the pipe 25, to bemixed at the T fitting 25b as it enters the pipe 14'. The result of themixing of the extremely hot water from the tank 18 and the cold waterfrom the pipe 25 is to provide a water of usable temperature almostimmediately at the faucet l5. Experimentation has shown that under theabove recited conditions, water will dis charge from the faucet 15 at atemperature of approximately 120 F. It will be understood, however, thatthe temperature of the water at the faucet 15 can be varied dependingupon the setting of the thermostat 23, and the ratio of mixing at the Tfitting 25b and any desired temperature can be provided.

In order to control the ratio of mixing between the hot water from thetank 18 and the cold water from the pipe 25, I provide a pair of valves26 and 27 interthe flow of water through the by-pass 25. Flow throughsad pipe 25 is separately controlled by the valve 27. By individualadjustments of the valves 26 and 27, the ratio of mixing at the Tfitting 25b can be established to further aid in providing water ofoptimum temperature to the faucet 15. It will be noted that the valve 26could just as effectively be located in the pipe 14' between thesupplemental tank 18 and the T fitting 25b, as indicated in dot-dashline at 26'.

It will be readily seen that the size of the supplemental tank 18 andthe ratio of mixing between the valves 26 and 27 will depend upon thelength of the pipe 14, the temperature of the water in said pipe, andthe desired temperature of the water at the faucet 15. Said supplementaltank must contain sufiicient hot water admixed with the cold water inthe lines to supply the faucet 15 with water of the desired temperatureuntil Water from the main tank reaches the supplemental tank 18 and theby-pass pipe 25 after which hot water will be supplied directly from themain tank. By restricting the flow at the valve 26, the supplementalsupply of water can be made to last longer. If the water in the pipe 14is unusually cold, this can be offset by restricting the flow at thevalve 27 relative to the flow through the valve 26 to maintain properwater temperature at the faucet 15.

After said faucet has been open for a period of time, hot water from thetank 10 rather than the cold water from the line will, of course, passthrough the supple-' mental heater 17, but it will flow so rapidly thatvery little heat will be picked up by the water from the heating unit21. When the faucet 15 is turned off, the water present in thesupplement heater 17 will be hot water from the tank 10, and it will,therefore, take very little time for said water to reheat to itspreferably high temperature. Research shows that warm water remains inthe pipes after the faucet has been turned off for a period of about 30minutes on the average under the temperature condition recited herein.By the time the water in the pipes 14-14' and the by-pass 25 has had achance to cool, the water in supplemental heater 17 will have fullyrecovered its predetermined temperature, the water in the supplementaltank 18 having been reheated to its predetermined temperature.

The supplemental heater 17 of my invention is small and compact and maybe readily located either in the wall or under a sink or in anyconvenient place adjacent a hot water faucet. Once the thermostat 23 hasbeen set for the desired temperature, and the ratio of mixing set forany particular installation, no further adjustment is necessary, and theheating device of my invention is thereafter completely self-operating.

The supplemental heater 17 is herein described and illustrated as havingan electric, immersion type heating unit controlled by means of athermostat, but any suitable regulating means may be used other than athermostat, such as, for example, adjusting and controlling the amountof power input to the heating unit to hold the tank at a giventemperature. Also, said heating unit could be heated by othercontrollable heating means, such as a gas burner. The only essentialfeatures of the supplemental heater are that it have sufficient capacityto provide hot water for mixing with the cold water until such time ashot water from the main tank reaches the faucet and that it be capableof rapid recovery.

It will be understood that many departures from the deails of myinvention as it is herein described and illustrated may be made, such aschanges in size and dimension, without, however, departing from thespirit of my inventon or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A hot water generating system comprising a main hot water tank ofrelatively large capacity, heating means for saidvmain tank, asupplemental hot water tank of relatively smaller capacity, heatingmeans for said supplemental tank, a faucet, a first pipe connecting saidmain tank to said supplemental tank, a second pipe connecting saidsupplemental tank to said faucet, a bypass pipe connecting said firstpipe to said second pipe whereby water from said main tank passesthrough both said supplemental tank and said by-pass pipe and is mixedat a junction of said second pipe and said by-pass pipe before dischargefrom said faucet.

2. A device for providing hot water immediately to a faucet positioned aremote distance from a main hot water tank connected by pipe meanstherewith wherein the water in said pipe means is cold, said devicecomprising a main hot water tank, heating means forsaid main tank, afaucet, a hot water heater of relatively small capacity adjacent saidfaucet, pipe means connecting said main tank to said hot water heaterwhereby a portion of the water from said main tank flows through saidheater, means by which another portion of said water flows around saidheater to re-enter said pipe means between said heater and said faucetwhereby cold water from said pipe means is mixed with hot water fromsaid heater to be discharged at said faucet.

3. A device for providing hot water immediately to a faucet positioned aremote distance from a main hot water tank connected by pipe means tosaid faucet when the water in the said pipe means is cold, said devicecomprising a main hot water tank, heating means for said main tank, afaucet, a hot water heater of relatively small capacity adjacent saidfaucet, pipe means connecting said main tank to said hot water heaterwhereby a portion of the water from said main tank flows through saidheater, control means associated with said heater to maintain the watertherein at a relatively higher temperature than that heated within themain tank, second pipe means connecting said heater to said faucet,means by which a portion of the water from the main tank bypasses saidheater to re-enter the pipe means disposed between said heater and saidfaucet whereby cold water from said first pipe means is mixed in thesecond pipe means with hot water from said heater to be discharged atsaid faucet.

4. A hot water generating system for providing an immediate source ofhot water to a faucet located a substanital distance from a main hotwater tank and comprising a main hot water tank, heating means for saidmain tank, a faucet, a supplemental hot water tank of relatively smallcapacity located adjacent said faucet, an electric immersion type heaterassociated with said supplemental tank including thermostatic controlmeans whereby water in said supplemental tank is maintained at a highertemperature than the water in said main tank, a first pipe connectingsaid main tank to said supplemental tank and a second pipe connectingsaid supplemental tank to said faucet, a by-pass pipe having a firstconnection means at one end thereof to said first pipe and a secondconnection means at the opposite end thereof to said second pipe wherebya portion of the water from said first pipe passes around saidsupplemental tank and is mixed with heated water from said supplementaltank in said second pipe to be discharged from said faucet, and valvemeans adapted to control the flow of water through said supplementalheater on y.

5. A hot water generating system for providing an immediate source ofhot water to a faucet located a substantial distance from a main hotwater tank and comprising a main hot water tank, heating means for saidmain tank, a faucet, a supplemental hot water tank of relatively smallcapacity, said supplemental tank being located adjacent said faucet,means for heating said supplemental tank and maintaining the watertherein at a higher temperature than the water in said main tank, afirst pipe connecting said main tank to said supplemental tank and asecond pipe connecting said suppleaaeasst mental tank to said faucet, aby-pass pipe having a first connection means at one end thereof to saidfirst pipe and a second connection means at the opposite end thereof tosaid second pipe whereby a portion of the water from said first pipepasses around said supplemental tank and is mixed with heated water fromsaid supplemental tank in said second pipe to be discharged from saidfaucet, a first valve in said first pipe between said first connectionmeans and said supplemental tank for controlling the flow of waterthrough said supplemental tank and a second valve in said by-pass pipebetween said first and second connection means for controlling the flowof water through said by-pass pipe.

6. A hot water generating system for providing an immediate source ofhot water to a faucet located a substantial distance from a main hotwater tank and comprising a main hot water tank, heating means for saidmain tank, a faucet, a supplemental hot water tank of relatively smallcapacity located adjacent saidfaucet, said supplemental tank beinglocated adjacent said faucet, means for heating said supplemental tankand maintaining the water therein at a higher temperature than the waterin said main tank, a first pipe connecting said main tank to saidsupplemental tank and a second pipe connecting said supplemental tank tosaid faucet, a bypass pipe having a first connection means at one endthereof to said first pipe and a second connection means at the oppositeend thereof to said second pipe whereby a portion of the water from saidfirst pipe passes around said supplemental tank and is mixed with heatedwater from said supplemental tank in said second pipe to be dischargedfrom said faucet, a first valve in said second pipe between saidsupplemental tank and said second connection for controlling the flow ofwater through said supplemental tank and a second valve in said by-passpipe between said first and second connection means for controlling theflow of water through said by-pass pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS984,552 Gambati Feb. 21, 1911 1,029,870 Humphrey June 18, 1912 1,151,586Herkenrath Aug. 21, 1915 1,396,121 Iacobsen Nov. 8, 1921 1,555,338Vaughan Sept. 29, 1925 1,839,007 Antonini Dec. 29, 1931 2,729,158Wilfert Jan. 3, 1956 2,924,697 Thomson Feb. 9, 1960

